The Wrestling Mall Columnist Breaks Down Some of the Best Perfomers of the 2004-05 Season
By Andrew Hipps “Staff Writer
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With the national tournaments now in the books, I will dole out my end of the season awards.
NCAA Division I Wrestler of the Year: Greg Jones (West Virginia, 184)
Jones dominated all season, claiming the 184 pound national title on Saturday night. He finished a perfect 25-0 this season and became just the 39th wrestler in NCAA history to win three national titles. In addition, he outscored his opponents 298-82. Jones amassed more than 400 takedowns and surrendered only 10 during his career, where he had an impressive 126-4 record.
NCAA Division I Wrestler of the Year Runner-Up: Chris Pendleton (Oklahoma State, 174)
Pendleton finished 36-1 and claimed his second straight NCAA Championship, winning the 174 pound title. Had he not slipped up and lost a one point match to E.K. Waldhaus of Oklahoma in a December dual, he might have been in line for the coveted Hodge Trophy. Pendleton beat arch-rival and two-time NCAA runner-up Ben Askren of Missouri eight times in the past two seasons. With a career mark of 115-11, Pendleton finished his career with the ninth best winning percentage in Oklahoma State history at .913.
Honorable Mention: Steve Mocco (Oklahoma State, HWT), Ryan Bertin (Michigan, 157), Zack Esposito (Oklahoma State, 149), Travis Lee (Cornell, 133), Teyon Ware (Oklahoma), and Ben Askren (Missouri, 174)
NCAA Division I Coach of the Year: Rob Koll (Cornell)
Koll took The Big Red from an 11th place finish in 2004 to a fourth place finish in 2005, which now ranks as the second highest finish in Cornell and Ivy League history, only bettered by the 1953 squad, which finished third in the country. Cornell also had four All-Americans, with two of them being finalists. Travis Lee won the national title at 133 and became the first four-time All-American in Ivy League history, and just the third Ivy wrestler to win two NCAA Championships.
NCAA Division I Coach of the Year Runner-Up: Jack Spates (Oklahoma)
Spates guided the Sooners to a surprising third place finish at the NCAA Championships, after a disappointing fourth place finish in the Big 12 Conference Championships. Oklahoma finished the regular season with a 16-6 dual meet record and fifth place finish in the 2005 Cliff/NWCA National Duals. The Sooners had four All-Americans, including national champion Teyon Ware at 141.
Honorable Mention: Tim Cysewski (Northwestern), Duane Goldman (Indiana), Tom Ryan (Hofstra), Steve Martin (Old Dominion), Tom Borrelli (Central Michigan), and Mark Cody (American)
NCAA Division I Freshman of the Year: Mark Perry (Iowa, 165)
Perry surprised everyone but himself by upsetting national champion Troy Letters of Lehigh in the NCAA semifinals. Perry finished runner-up to Oklahoma State’s Johny Hendricks in one of the toughest weight classes in the country, consisting of seven past All-Americans. Perry is a lanky, unorthodox wrestler who can scramble with the best in the country. The future looks bright for this Hawkeye.
NCAA Division I Freshman of the Year Runner-Up: Mack Reiter (Minnesota, 133)
Reiter, who became the first blue chip recruit from Iowa to come to Minnesota, exceeded all preseason expectations by placing fourth in the country. Coming into college, he was merely the third most heralded recruit from Minnesota’s outstanding freshman class, but has since proven to be the top wrestler from that class. Reiter has an aggressive, attacking style, which helped him earn both Outstanding Wrestler of the Big Ten Championships and Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. Reiter recorded 15 pins this season, which is the sixth-best single-season total in school history and the second-highest total by a Golden Gopher freshman.
Honorable Mention: Eric Tannenbaum (Michigan, 149), Jake Herbert (Northwestern, 174), Daniel Frishkorn (Oklahoma State, 141), Josh Churella (Michigan, 141), and Coleman Scott (Oklahoma State, 125), and Brandon Becker (Indiana, 157).
Division II Wrestler of the Year: Les Sigman (Nebraska-Omaha, HWT)
Sigman won his third straight national title and didn’t allow a single offensive point to be scored against him in three national championships. He finished the season with an impressive 51-3 record. For his career, Sigman compiled a 148-11 overall record.
Division II Wrestler of the Year Runner-Up: Tom Meester (Augustana, 184)
Meester dominated at the NCAA Division II Championships, registering five takedowns in his championship match and picking up a 12-2 major decision in the finals, while adding a second national title to his resume. Earlier this season, Meester reached the semifinals of the prestigious Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, before losing a decision to Travis Pascoe of Nebraska.
Honorable Mention: J.D. Naig (Nebraska-Omaha, 165), Careef Robertson (Anderson, 174), Thad Benton (Pittsburgh-Johnstown, 141), Andy Uhl (Findlay, 133), Aaron Graumann (Augustana, 125), and Pacifico Garcia (San Francisco State, 149)
Division II Coach of the Year: Tony Cipollone (Mercyhurst)
In his fourth season at Mercyhurst, Cipollone led the Knights to a ninth place finish at the NCAA Division II Championships, after placing 21st in 2004. Five Mercyhurst wrestlers earned All-American honors, with Ben McAvinew finishing runner-up at 184.
Division II Coach of the Year Runner-Up: Jason Reitmeier (Augustana)
Reitmeier, in his second year in charge, led Augustana to a second place finish at the NCAA Division II Championships. The Vikings claimed two individual national titles in the process (Aaron Graumann at 125 and Tom Meester at 184) and tied its highest ever NCAA finish (second), while breaking the school record for most All-Americans (7), and most dual meet victories (14).
Honorable Mention: Jim Makovsky (Minnesota State-Mankato), Rob Kowatch (Ashland), Kyle Fellure (Indianapolis), Steve Kimpel (Colorado School of Mines), Mike Denney (Nebraska-Omaha), Don Henry (Gannon), and Donald Tabar II (Shippensburg)
Division III Wrestler of the Year: Marcus LeVesseur (Augsburg, 157)
LeVesseur finished his junior season with a 40-0 record, won his third straight national title, and extended his collegiate unbeaten streak to 124, the second-longest winning streak in college wrestling history behind the 159 of Cael Sanderson at Iowa State (1998-2002). LeVesseur has yet to lose a college wrestling match.
Division III Wrestler of the Year Runner Up: Ryan Allen (Wisconsin-LaCrosse, HWT)
Allen captured his second straight national title and was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament. He finished the season with a 46-5 record, with four of those losses coming to Division I wrestlers and the other loss coming to Division II national champion Les Sigman. He is 120-9 in his three-year career, ranking second in school history in victories.
Honorable Mention: Dustin Hinschberger (Wartburg, 141), Matt Shankey (Augsburg, 125), Mark Matzek (Augsburg, 133), Akeem Carter (Wartburg, 197), Garrett South (Luther, 165), Jamell Tidwell (Augsburg, 141)
Division III Coach of the Year: Steve Marianetti (Elmhurst)
Marianetti, in just his third season as head coach at Elmhurst, guided the Bluejays to their highest-ever national (eighth) and regional (second) finish in addition to claiming the conference title. The Bluejays, who finished tied for 29th place in 2004, also set a school record for dual meet victories by posting a 16-3 dual meet record. The team was also ranked as high as seventh in the NWCA Division III poll earlier this season.
Division III Coach of the Year Runner-Up: Jeff Swenson (Augsburg)
Swenson led Augsburg to its 9th NCAA Championship, finishing 57.5 points ahead of second place Wartburg. In the process, the Auggies tied the NCAA Division III record with four individual champions. Augsburg also had ten All-Americans, which tied Wartburg’s record from 2003. Swenson was recently inducted into the Division III Hall of Fame and is one of a handful of wrestling coaches in the nation to win at least 300 matches as a coach and 100 as a college wrestler.
Honorable Mention: Marty Nichols (Ithaca), Duane Ritter (Oneonta State), Brian Anderson (Wabash), Nate Skaar (Wisconsin-LaCrosse), Tom Schleicher (Muhlenberg), and Jim Miller (Wartburg)
NAIA Wrestler of the Year: Stryder Davis (Montana State-Northern, 157)
Davis finished 41-1 this season and won his second consecutive NAIA national title. His only loss this season came to two-time Division I national champion Ryan Bertin of Michigan in the finals of Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Davis concluded an outstanding college career with finishes of second and third at North Idaho Junior College and two firsts at Montana State-Northern. He compiled a career record of 155-19.
NAIA Wrestler of the Year Runner-Up: Paul Collum (Missouri Valley, 141)
Collum recorded four consecutive pins (three in the first period) to reach the national finals and then beat Waldorf’s top-ranked Brad Stockton to claim the NAIA title. Collum posted a 19-2 record after transferring from Missouri, where he was ranked as high as fourth in the country in Division I last year.
Honorable Mention: Brian Luna (Montana State-Northern, 133), Jesse Laber (Mary, 197), Mike Rio (Lindenwood, 149), Andrew Bradbury (Lindenwood, 125), Eric Flinchman (Cumberland, 197), and Brad Stockton (Waldorf, 141)
NAIA Coach of the Year: Joe Parisi (Lindenwood)
Parisi led the Lions to their second national title in four years by scoring 178.5 points, 50 points ahead of second-place Missouri Valley. Lindenwood finished just 1.5 points shy of the team scoring record, but became the first team in tournament history to take the maximum of 12 wrestlers to the tournament and have all 12 reach the placing matches. The Tigers also had three national champions.
NAIA Coach of the Year Runner-Up: Franky James (Campbellsville)
James, who became the first wrestling coach at Campbellsville, led the Tigers to a 9-5 dual meet record and a 21st place finish at the NAIA National Tournament. Four Tiger Wrestlers also qualified for the NAIA National Tournament, while Scott Vaughn became the first All-American in Campbellsville history by placing sixth at 165.
Honorable Mention: Thadd O’ Donnell (Dickinson State), Eric Van Kley (Great Falls), Mark Stovall (Newman), Jess Wilder (Cumberland), John Petty (Embry-Riddle), and David Ray (Montana State-Northern)
Junior College Wrestler of the Year: Earl Jones (Labette, 133)
Jones claimed his second NJCAA title with a dominating 9-0 win in the championship match. He also became the school’s first two-time national champion.
Junior College Wrestler of the Year Runner-Up: Eric Luedke (Colby, 165)
Luedke, a Colby native, won his second NJCAA national championship. He won his first title 157 in 2004 but moved up to 165 this season where he defeated James Varner of Pima, 7-4, to win the title. He is one of only a few Trojans to accomplish this feat, not to mention one of only a few wrestlers in the history of the NJCAA to do so.
Honorable Mention: Zach Flake (Lassen, 141), Seth Wright (Northwest Wyoming, 125), Yuri Malamura (Highline, 197), Ronnie Smith (Neosho, 125), Jared Shelton (Labette, 197), and Dustin Rogers (Southwest Oregon)
Junior College Coach of the Year: Jesse Nelson (Ridgewater)
Nelson led Ridgewater College to its first ever NJCAA Division III team championship, finishing with 76.5 points, one point ahead of Harper College. The Warriors had four All-Americans.
Junior College Coach of the Year Runner-Up: Joe Renfro (Labette)
Renfro guided Labette to its first-ever national title (NJCAA Division I) in wrestling and the first national title in any sport since 1960. The Cardinals won the title with 108 points, beating out North Idaho, which took second with 99.
Honorable Mention: Jack Denholm (Ellsworth), Dave Klemm (Lincoln), Jim Zeigler (Northwest Wyoming), Dan Loprieno (Harper), Dan Geleta (Bergen), and Joe Solorio (Pima)
Andrew Hipps also accepts feedback at [email protected]
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